Portable right angle drill

ABSTRACT

A portable drill with two gear trains driven by a single motor wherein one gear train rotatably drives a drill spindle and a pair of feed spindles through a connection that permits axial movement of the spindles, and the other gear train drives the pair of feed spindles through threaded connections therewith. The feed spindles carry a footplate adapted to be clamped to the work. Means is provided for changing the gear ratios of one gear train and other means provided for selectively stopping either gear train in order to advance and retract the feed spindles at different speeds.

United States Patent Bohorquez et al.

[54] PORTABLE RIGHT ANGLE DRILL [72] Inventors: Luis Bohorquez,Inglewood; Pierre G. Vindez, Redondo Beach, both of Calif.

Zephyr Manufacturing Co., Inc. Manufacturing Division, Los Angeles,Calif.

[22] Filed: Oct. 28, 1970 [21] Appl.No.: 84,731

[73] Assignee:

[52] U.S. Cl ..408/99, 408/14, 408/111, 408/133 [51] Int. Cl ..B23b47/18 [58] FieldofSearch ..408/l4,99,1ll, 110, 113, 408/101, 137, 138,133, 100, I02, 132

[56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS M 3,538,794 ll/l970Grundmeyer ..408/99 51 July 25,1972

Juhasz et a1 ..408/l4 Juhasz et Primary Examiner-Gil WeidenfeldAttorney-Whann & McManigal [5 7] ABSTRACT A portable drill with two geartrains driven by a single motor wherein one gear train rotatably drivesa drill spindle and a pair of feed spindles through a connection thatpermits axial movement of the spindles, and the other gear train drivesthe pair of feed spindles through threaded connections therewith. Thefeed spindles carry a footplate adapted to be clamped to the work. Meansis provided for changing the gear ratios of one gear train and othermeans provided for selectively stopping either gear train in order toadvance and retract the feed spindles at different speeds.

14 Claims, 7 Drawing Figures PORTABLE RIGHT ANGLE DRILL The inventionrelates generally to portable motorized drills embodying feed means andparticularly to those embodying means for advancing and retracting drillfeed mechanism at various speeds.

An object of the invention is to provide a novel, motordriven drilldesigned for drilling at right angles to the general longitudinal axisof the device and particularly designed for drilling holes in recessedareas of the work where access is so difficult that standard drillscannot reach the area.

In general it is an object of the invention to provide a drill of thetype indicated embodying a footplate adapted to be clamped to the workand novel means connecting the body of the drill with the footplate sothat with the footplate clamped to the work the drill as a whole can befed toward the work or moved away from it. In this connection it is anobject to provide a novel dual spindle arrangement on which thefootplate is mounted.

A further object is to provide in connection with a dual gear train feedsystem, novel means for enabling the quick changing of the gear ratio ofat least one of the gear trains in order to change the rate of feed.

A further object is to provide a new and improved feed system utilizingdual gear trains driving one or more feed spindles in which the geartrains are driven by a single drive gear and embody novel means forselectively disconnecting either one of the gear trains and holding itagainst rotation whereby to enable the operator to vary the directionand speed of feed of the spindles.

Still another object is to provide a tool of the type indicated in whichthe drill body is provided with a replaceable head which contains thedrill stem thereby making it possible to utilize different sizes andtypes of drill stems.

These and other objects will be apparent from the drawings and thefollowing description. Referring to the drawings:

FIG. 1 is a side elevational view of a tool embodying the inventionshown in conjunction with a workpiece, fragmentarily shown in section;

FIG. 2 is a plan view of the tool;

FIG. 3 is a fragmentary longitudinal sectional view of the tool, but ona larger scale;

FIG. 4 is a fragmentary sectional view in the same plane as FIG. 3, buton a larger scale;

FIG. 5 is a fragmentary cross-sectional view of a portion of FIG. 1;

FIG. 6 is a diagrammatic view of the basic pneumatic system; and

FIG. 7 is a fragmentary cross-sectional view taken along the line 77 ofFIG. 5.

More particularly describing the invention, the tool as a wholecomprises a housing body 11 and, generally parallel to this, a footplate12 carried upon a pair of feed spindles, designed 14 and 15,respectively. The body houses two gear trains, namely, a feed gear train17 that has internally threaded gears 18 and 19 that receive therespective spindles 14 and which are externally threaded, and a drivegear train 20 that rotates the feed spindles 14 and 15 and also a drillspindle 22. The gear trains are driven by a motor 24 which is mounted atthe back end of the body 11 and extends generally in alignment with thelongitudinal axis thereof. Preferably a variable speed,governor-controlled air motor is used, however, other type motors may beemployed. Also, by the use of a suitable adapter and necessary gearingthe motor may be mounted to extend at a right angle, or at some otherangle, to the longitudinal axis of the body, or made to extend parallelthereto but at one side or the other.

The motor shaft 25 has a bevel gear 26 fixed to the end The feed geartrain 17 is driven by pinion 31 while the drive gear train 20, whichrotates all three spindles, is driven by pinion 32. Pinion 31 engages aclutch drive gear 41 while pinion 32 engages a similar clutch drive gear42. The gears 41 and 42 are journaled in bearings 43 and 44,respectively, and support inner bearings 45 and 46, respectively, whichare interposed between them and clutch-driven gears, designed 47 and 48,respectively. The clutch drive gears are normally in engagement with theclutch-driven gears through a clutching mechanism which includes clutchballs 50 in apertures 51 in cylindrical extensions 47 and 48 of gears 47and 48, respectively, and internal grooves 41' and 42 in the gears 41and 42, respectively.

The clutch mechanism which can be operated selectively to disengageeither the drive gear train or feed gear train from the power-drivengears also serves as a means of stopping and holding the disengaged geartrain against rotation. The clutch mechanism comprises a shaft 54,mounted for limited axial movement in the body, which carries a pistonat 55 at its upper end within a cylinder 56 formed in the body. Theother end of the shaft carries a brake disk 58 held in place by a pin 59through the shaft, the ends of which are received in slots 60 of a cap61 which threads into bore 29. Spaced inwardly from its upper end theshaft carries another brake disk, designated 63, anchored by a pin 64through the shaft. Disks 58 and 63 have serrated or toothed inner endfaces, designated 58' and 63', respectively, adapted to engage similarfaces 48A and 47A, respectively on the ends of gears 48 and 47.

Inwardly of each of the brake disks is a sleeve 66 and a cam element 67with a thrust bearing 68 therebetween and a thrust bearing 69 beyondeach cam element. A compression coil spring 71 is positioned between thebearings 69, serving to yieldably maintain the two cam elements in theposition in which they are shown in FIG. 4 where they hold the clutchballs 50in engagement with the clutch drive gears. By moving the shaft54 in one direction or the other either one or the other of the clutchelements will be moved inwardly and permit disengagement of theassociated balls 50. For example, if fluid under pressure is admitted tocylinder 56 above the piston 55 the shaft 54 will move down therebycarrying the upper cam element 67 down with it to permit the balls 50 todisengage from gear 41. At the end of the shaft 54 gear 47 is engaged bythe brake disk 63 to lock it against rotation. Thus with thisarrangement either one of the gear trains can be stopped while the othercontinues to be driven.

Gears 47 and 48 mesh with idler gears 73 and 74, respectively, on atubular shaft 75 in the body. Gear 74 meshes with a gear 76 that in turndrives the gear 77 on spindle 15. Gear 77 drives the spindle 14 throughthe medium of an idler gear 78 on shaft 79 which meshes with a drivegear 80 on spindle 14. Gears 77 and 80 are similarly constructed, eachbeing provided with internal splines 81 which are slidably received inlongitudinal grooves 82 in the respective spindles thereby permittingaxial movement of the spindles through the drive gears. Drive gear 80 inturn rotates the drill spindle 22 through the medium of an idler gear 84on a shaft 85, the gear meshing with a pinion 86 splined to the spindle.The latter has an enlarged portion 87 that is internally threaded at itsexposed lower end to mount a drill bit 88 or other tool. Bearings 90 and91 are provided above and below the pinion, respectively, while bearings92 and 93 further support the spindle.

It is a feature of the invention that the nose or drilling head 96 ofthe body is detachably secured in place so that it can be readilyremoved in order to fit another head having a different size or type ofspindle 22.. Four screws 97 serve to hold the head in place.

It will be understood from the description thus far that with both thefeed gear train 17 and the drive gear train 20 operating and with theparts in the position shown in FIGS. 3 and 4, that the device will feedor advance at the appropriate speed for drilling the material of theparticular workpiece, that is,

the distance between the footplate and the body gradually decreases.This is accomplished by the fact that the two gears 77 and 80 rotatespindles and 14, respectively, in a direction such that they threadthemselves through the internally threaded gears 19 and 18 of the feedgear train, the pitch of the threads being such with relation to thespeed of rotation of the spindles and the speed of rotation of gears 18and 19 that the spindles move axially as described.

If the feed gear train is stopped, the tool will rapidly retract, thatis, the distance between the footplate and the body will increase. Ashereinbefore described, the feed gear train is stopped by admittingfluid pressure through suitable controls to the outer end of cylinder 56in order to move the piston and shaft 54 downwardly and therebydisengage the gear 47 and hold it against rotation.

On the other hand, if the drive gear train is stopped, the tool will befed forward rapidly, that is, the distance between the footplate and thehousing will rapidly decrease, but none of the spindles will be rotated.This is brought about by the admittance of fluid pressure into cylinder56 beneath piston 55 inorder to raise the shaft 54 and thereby disengagegear 48 and hold it against rotation.

One of the features of the construction is the provision of means apartfrom that previously described which enables the operator to change thenormal rate of advance or feed during drilling, such as might be desiredfor drilling through sandwich material made up of two metals ofdifferent hardness. Turning to a description of this feature, the feedidler gear 73 drives a clutch drive gear designated which is engageableto drive selectively either of two clutch-driven gears designated 101and 102, respectively. The clutching mechanism includes a control pin103 which has an enlarged head or button 104 that projects through acover plate 105 of the body. The pin is axially movable for a limiteddistance when not restrained as shown by a lock lever' 106 pivotallymounted on a screw 107. A cam clutch element 108 is mounted on the pinbetween bearings 109 and 110 that are held by the head 104 and aretainer ring 111. When the pin is in the position shown it serves tohold clutch balls 112 in position in grooves 101 on the inner surface ofgear 101, the balls being received in apertures 114 in gear 100, therebylocking gears 100 and 101 together as a unit. A spring 115 is positionedbeneath the pin and serves to raise it a limited distance when the lever106 is turned aside, allowing clutch element 108 to move upwardly andrelease the upper gear 101 from driven engagement with gear 100 andcause the lower set of clutch balls to enter the grooves 102 in theinner wall of gear 102 thereby locking gears 100 and 102 together.

Thus either one or the other of gears 101, 102 is engaged and thesegears in turn mesh with gears 118 and 119, respectively, that are keyedto feed gear 19 which threadedly receives spindle 15. Gear 19 mesheswith an idler gear 122 on shaft 79 and this in turn meshes with feedgear 18 on shaft 14.

The footplate 12 is mounted at the outer ends of the two feed spindlesby means of suitable bearings 125 in bores 126 in the plate and end caps128 on the spindles. A retainer ring 129 threads into a counterbore 130.With this arrangement the spindles may rotate within the plate but aremounted against axial movement relative thereto. The plate may be shapedaccording to the work requirements, it being shown with a tapered noseand a slot 133 positioned to pass a drill mounted in the drillingspindle should the drill penetrate the work.

It will be apparent that if the support plate is clamped to the work, asshown in FIG. I, and the drill operated, the body of the drill will bemoved or fed toward the work. In this connection spindle 15 is providedwith adjustable stops 135 and 136 which can be set at the desired pointsto limit relative travel between the body and the footplate, the stopsbeing adapted to operate a limit valve 137 having an upper portion 138and a lower portion 139. The valve may be of the type shown in FIG. 9 ofU.S. Pat. No. 3,512,434 and described therein. As will later appear,when the valve is engaged by stop 135,,it serves to set in motion themeans for retracting the body of the drill from the footplate, and whenengaged by stop 136, serves to stop the operation of the drill.

In FIG. 6 we show the basic controls of the pneumatic system. From theseit will be seen that the tool is provided with a main valve 140 thatcontrols the motor 24 and this has on" and off buttons 141 and 142,respectively. When the on" button is pushed, air is supplied to themotor and the tool operates at the normal feed rate with the parts asshown in the drawings so that the body of the tool gradually advancestoward the footplate. To achieve a fast approach or advance, afast-approach valve 145 is provided which, when actuated, is adapted toconnect air inlet line 146 via passage 147 to the lower end of cylinder56, thereby raising piston 55 and shaft 54 to disengage clutch-drivengear 48 from gear 42 and lock it against rotation. This stops the entiredrive gear train and causes the tool body to advance rapidly toward thefootplate.

A retraction valve 150 is provided for manually causing the body toretract or move away from the footplate. When this valve is operated, itserves to connect air inlet line 146 with the upper end of cylinder 56through passage 151 thereby moving the piston 55 and shaft 54 down todisengage gear 47 and lock it and the feed gear train against rotation.

The tool also retracts automatically and shuts off if the manuallyoperated valves 145 and 150 are not used. This is accomplished with thelimit valve 137. When valve 137 is operated by stop 135 striking the end139 thereof, air under pressure from the supply line 146 is directed toa closed conduit 156 which communicates with the outer end of theretraction valve 150 and with the inner end of the fast-approach valve145, thereby serving to automatically operate valve 150 and insure thatvalve 145 is in normal position. The retraction cycle then begins andoperates in the manner previously described for when the retractionvalve 150 is manually operated. At the end of the retraction limit,determined by stop 136 which engages end 138 of the limit valve 137, thelimit valve shifts to connect fluid line 156 to exhaust" therebypermitting the retraction valve 150 to return to normal position underthe influence of its own spring (not shown). In this position air underpressure escapes from above piston 55, through line 151 and valve 150 byway of a passage 158 to the main valve 140 which it operates to offposition and then is exhausted. When the fast-approach valve 145 isoperated, it also serves to supply pressure fluid through passage 160 tothe main valve 140 serving to move it to on" position, or merely hold itthere.

We claim:

1. A right angle drill, comprising a body, a drill spindle extendingtransversely of the body adjacent an end thereof and adapted to hold adrill bit, at least one feed spindle extending through said bodyparallel to said drill spindle, a footplate carried on the outer end ofsaid feed spindle and adapted to be detachably secured to the work, andgear train means in the body for rotating said drill spindle and formoving said feed spindle axially relative to the body, said gear trainmeans being adapted to be power driven.

2. The drill set forth in claim 1 in which said gear train meansincludes a drive gear train for rotating said drill and feed spindlesand a feed gear train including a threaded connection with said feedspindle.

3. The drill set forth in claim 2 in which means is provided forselectively disengaging either of said gear trains from the power drive.

4. The drill set forth in claim 2 in which means is provided forchanging the gear ratio of one of said gear trains.

5. The drill set forth in claim 2 in which means is provided forchanging the gear ratio of said feed gear train.

6. The drill set forth in claim 2 in which means is provided forselectively disengaging either of said gear trains from the power drive,and in which means is provided for changing the gear ratio of the feedgear train.

7. The drill set forth in claim 1 in which said drill spindle is mountedin a removable head detachably secured to the body.

8. The drill set forth in claim 1 in which there are a pair of laterallyspaced feed spindles parallel to the drill spindle and in which thefootplate is carried on said pair of feed spindles.

9. The drill set forth in claim 8 in which said gear train meansincludes a drive gear train for rotating all of said spindles and a feedgear train for axially moving said feed spindles relative to said body,and said feed gear train including a threaded connection with each feedspindle.

10. A right angle drill, comprising a body, a drill spindle extendingtransversely of the body adjacent an end thereof and adapted to hold adrill bit, a pair of feed spindles extending through said body parallelto said drill spindle, a footplate carried on the outer ends of saidfeed spindles and adapted to be detachably secured to the work, a motormounted on the body, a drive gear train in the body constructed andarranged to rotate all of said spindles, a feed gear train includingthreaded connections with said feed spindles constructed and arranged tomove said feed spindles axially of said body, and a drive connectionbetween the motor and said gear trains.

11. The drill set forth in claim 10 in which means is provided forselectively disengaging either one of said gear trains from the motor.

12. The drill set forth in claim 11 in which means is provided forchanging the gear ratio of one of said gear trains.

13. The drill set forth in claim 10 in which said motor is fluidoperated and in which fluid-operated means is provided for disengagingeither one of said gear trains from the motor including a fluid systemadapted to be supplied with fluid under pressure, a manually operablevalve means in said fluid system controlling flow of pressure fluid tosaid fluid-operated means, a main valve controlling flow of pressurefluid to said motor, and a limit valve operable in response to one ofsaid feed spindles for controlling said manually operable valve meansand said main valve means.

14. The drill set forth in claim 10 in which a clutch mechanism isprovided for each gear train constructed and arranged to disengage thegear train from the motor, and in which a gear ratio changing means isincluded in said feed gear train constructed and arranged to enableselection of either one of at least two difierent gear ratios.

1. A right angle drill, comprising a body, a drill spindle extendingtransversely of the body adjacent an end thereof and adapted to hold adrill bit, at least one feed spindle extending through said bodyparallel to said drill spindle, a footplate carried on the outer end ofsaid feed spindle and adapted to be detachably secured to the work, andgear train means in the body for rotating said drill spindle and formoving said feed spindle axially relative to the body, said gear trainmeans being adapted to be power driven.
 2. The drill set forth in claim1 in which said gear train means includes a drive gear train forrotating said drill and feed spindles and a feed gear train including athreaded connection with said feed spindle.
 3. The drill set forth inclaim 2 in which means is provided for selectively disengaging either ofsaid gear trains from the power drive.
 4. The drill set forth in claim 2in which means is provided for changing the gear ratio of one of saidgear trains.
 5. The drill set forth in claim 2 in which means isprovided for changing the gear ratio of said feed gear train.
 6. Thedrill set forth in claim 2 in which means is provided for selectivelydisengaging either of said gear trains from the power drive, and inwhich means is provided for changing the gear ratio of the feed geartrain.
 7. The drill set forth in claim 1 in which said drill spindle ismounted in a removable head detachably secured to the body.
 8. The drillset forth in claim 1 in which there are a pair of laterally spaced feedspindles parallel to the drill spindle and in which the footplate iscarried on said pair of feed spindles.
 9. The drill set forth in claim 8in which said gear train means includes a drive gear train for rotatingall of said spindles and a feed gear train for axially moving said feedspindles relative to said body, and said feed gear train including athreaded connection with each feed spindle.
 10. A right angle drill,comprising a body, a drill spindle extending transversely of the bodyadjacent an end thereof and adapted to hold a drill bit, a pair of feedspindles extending through said body parallel to said drill spindle, afootplate carried on the outer ends of said feed spindles and adapted tobe detachably secured to the work, a motor mounted on the body, a drivegear train in the body constructed and arranged to rotate all of saidspindles, a feed gear train including threaded connections with saidfeed spindles constructed and arranged to move said feed spindlesaxially of said body, and a drive connection between the motor and saidgear trains.
 11. The drill set forth in claim 10 in which means isprovided for selectively disengaging either one of said gear trains fromthe motor.
 12. The drill set forth in claim 11 in which means isprovided for changing the gear ratio of one of said gear trains.
 13. Thedrill set forth in claim 10 in which said motor is fluid operated and inwhich fluid-operated means is provided for disengaging either one ofsaid gear trains from the motor including a fluid system adapted to besupplied with fluid under pressure, a manually operable valve means insaid fluid system controlling flow of pressure fluid to saidfluid-operated means, a main valve controlling flow of pressure fluid tosaid motor, and a limit valve operable in response to one of said feedspindles for controlling said manually operable valve meanS and saidmain valve means.
 14. The drill set forth in claim 10 in which a clutchmechanism is provided for each gear train constructed and arranged todisengage the gear train from the motor, and in which a gear ratiochanging means is included in said feed gear train constructed andarranged to enable selection of either one of at least two differentgear ratios.